Advanced technology offers increased efficacy against mosquitoes resistant to the insecticide currently approved for use in bed nets

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, April 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Vestergaard, the leading manufacturer of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINS) to prevent malaria, celebrates PermaNet® 3.0 following the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) approval of a new class of LLINs, called PBO (piperonyl butoxide) LLINs. PermaNet® 3.0 provides increased efficacy against insecticide resistant mosquitoes in areas of high malaria transmission.

The WHO announcement of the approval of PBO LLINs for deployment came at the 7th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria meeting, and was based on recently published epidemiological evidence. In making the announcement, Dr. Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme, acknowledged the need for new and improved vector control tools to fight growing insecticide resistance in malaria epidemic regions.

LLINs are largely credited with reducing malaria cases by 68 percent in Africa, and individual access to LLINs increased from 34 percent in 2010 to 61 percent in 2016. Experts, however, have reported increased resistance to pyrethroids, the insecticide approved for bed nets. This was verified in the WHO 2017 World Malaria Report which cites a ten percent increase of resistance to pyrethroids in malaria endemic countries, from 71 percent in 2010 to 81 percent in 2016. There were five million additional cases of malaria reported, and no reduction in deaths (remaining at 445,000). This reverses a 15-year trend of significant reduction in malaria cases and deaths.

PBO nets – a new level of effective coverage

PermaNet® 3.0 increases the efficacy against mosquitoes that are resistant to the currently approved insecticide used in bed nets by blocking the metabolic enzymes that the mosquito uses to break down the insecticide. The net is backed by ten years of rigorous research and is uniquely designed to fight resistance. PermaNet® 3.0 was the first PBO LLIN on the market and the first approved by WHO for increased efficacy against metabolic resistant malaria vectors.

As a ramp up to procurement, PermaNet® 3.0 is registered across most malaria-endemic countries and is an early market leader with the most deployed PBO nets. To date, more than 10 million PermaNet® 3.0 nets are utilized globally as part of a customized approach to vector control.

Vestergaard’s CEO Mikkel Vestergaard notes the importance of the WHO announcement. “The bed net is a simple intervention, easy to give out, easy to use and designed to last for at least three years. From a cost-effective point of view, nets are one of the cheapest ways to save lives,” he says. “The WHO endorsement ensures that more effective nets that kill resistant mosquitoes are used. This more tailored approach encourages the use of the most effective tools within a local context.”

PBO LLINs are a major step forward in establishing a path to bring new vector control products to market. PBO nets can prevent 500 more cases per 1000 people per year than a standard net. The WHO announcement encourages national malaria control programmes and their partners to deploy pyrethroid-PBO nets in areas of confirmed pyrethroid resistance, and the new product class enables countries to start considering which LLIN is most appropriate for their setting.

About Vestergaard and PermaNet®

PermaNet® 3.0 builds on the success of PermaNet® 2.0, the world’s most purchased net, and more than 1.5 billion people having benefited from PermaNet® bed nets. PermaNet® 2.0, introduced in 2004, was the first long-lasting insecticidal net brought to scale, which made bed nets affordable, and created a viable market.

PermaNet® is manufactured by Vestergaard, an innovative leader in the global war against diseases, especially those impacting vulnerable populations across the globe. It has among the largest production capacities in the industry and has scaled up over 10 years for consistent quality. The is a preferred supplier for humanitarian aid agencies because of the highest and most consistent product quality.

Vestergaard focuses on research-based innovation and the development of solutions that fit the needs of the communities it serves. To combat the threat of insecticide resistance, the company continues to innovate the next generation of bed nets and partner with the private sector and multilaterals to distribute products while making sure the company is part of the ongoing dialogue fighting disease. To bolster scientific research, Vestergaard runs a vector research lab in Ghana in partnership with Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and has developed an online tool (released in 2012) to map insecticide resistance (www.IRMapper.com).